Attack widens rift between police and military

Bangkok: Rifts are widening between Thailand’s military and police as Thai authorities consider imposing a state of emergency in the wake of continuing attacks on anti-government protest sites in Bangkok.

Military chiefs have accused police of trying to discredit the military after a navy officer was wrongly accused in social media of being the man captured on closed-circuit television throwing a grenade into a crowd of protesters on Sunday, injuring 28 of them.

Police are offering a reward for information about the man, who is clearly identified, as both sides of the conflict blame each other for attacks.

Naval Special Warfare Commander Winai Klom-in threatened to file a lawsuit against the police if it could be established that police allowed social media to cause confusion over the identity of the attacker.

Security guards of the anti-government movement scan rooftops for possible threats on a marching route in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: AP

“The way police did it could be seen as an attempt to discredit our agency,” Rear Admiral Winai said.

Police also want to impose an emergency decree to give them powers to impose curfews, detain suspects without charge, censor media and ban political gatherings of more than five people, but top military commanders are resisting the move.

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During two months of unrest the military has often urged police to show restraint towards protesters who have stormed and occupied key government ministries and shut down parts of Bangkok in an attempt to cripple the government and force Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to resign and call off elections set for February 2.

After meeting with Ms Yingluck, National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattantabutr said the government was “very seriously” considering an emergency decree but had not yet made a decision.

Thai nurses and doctors march in support of anti-government protestors. Photo: Getty Images

While the numbers of protesters at sites across Bangkok has dropped significantly in recent days, daily attacks have targeted protesters.

Grenade attacks last Sunday and Friday left one man dead and almost 60 people injured, sending tensions soaring across the city of 12 million people.

The army has warned that the violence will escalate, citing intelligence that weapons and explosives are being moved into Bangkok.

“An ill-intentioned group is mobilising weapons and bombs to stir up violence and attack its rivals,” army spokesman Winthai Suwaree said, without giving any more details.

Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said it was apparent that a group of people wanted to use violence but he again played down speculation about a military coup.

“The situation has not yet escalated to the point where we must get involved,” he said.

The highly politicised military has intervened often in the past but a coup it staged in 2006 to oust then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was seen as a disaster for the country and partly the cause of the current upheaval.

Mr Thaksin is the billionaire elder brother of Ms Yingluck and critics say he has been running the country from Dubai to avoid a jail sentence for corruption.

The conflict has left at least nine people dead and hundreds injured, and is dragging down Thailand’s economy.

In broad terms two bitterly divided groups of elites are pitted against each other, one supported by Bangkok’s middle class and opposition supporters from the country’s southern provinces and the other supported by mostly poor rural people from the north and north-eastern provinces.

Australia’s smartraveller.gov.au advice for Thailand has been upgraded to warn Australians to avoid all protest sites, surrounding areas, political rallies and parades through Bangkok and other locations because of the risk of further violent attacks.

Australian tourists have often been seen joining protesters at rally sites.